Seniors Exercise Program

Brock-Niagara Centre for Health & Well-Being

Seniors Exercise Program

The Brock Seniors Exercise Program was established in 2006 by Dr. Kimberley Gammage (Program Director) in the Department of Kinesiology. We began with a small group of women and a few students. Today, we have grown in number and have moved to larger facilities at the new Brock-Niagara Centre for Health and Well-Being.

Our program is designed for men and women 55 years of age and older. It follows the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines for Older Adults. Our exercise program consists of the following components:

• Cardiovascular exercise using treadmills, stationary bicycles, or elliptical trainers• Strength training using a variety of machines, free weights, resistance bands, and body weight• Balance training by challenging stability with a variety of activities• Flexibility training with stretches for the whole body

We know that in the older adult population there is a great deal of variety in experience with exercise, health conditions, fitness levels, and comfort at the gym. That’s alright – we are here to help you get the most out of your program and to help you meet your goals.

Our Philosophy

We want to challenge the stereotype of aging. Getting older does not mean being sick or frail or dependent on others. Our program can help you gain strength, increase your endurance, improve your balance, and make it easier for you to live your life. But it can also increase your confidence, enhance your self-esteem, and help you build friendships with others.

Goals of the Program

• Maintain and improve cardiovascular endurance and muscular strength so you are able to do your daily activities of life easily• Help you maintain your independence• Improve your balance and mobility• Provide a comfortable environment for you to exercise – our program is designed specifically for older adults, and that’s who you will be exercising with• Encourage social interaction• Challenge you to surprise yourself and do more than you ever thought you could• Increase your confidence, self-esteem and overall quality of life• Make exercise fun!

Our program can be adapted to meet individual needs – whether for health or medical conditions, personal goals, or your likes and dislikes, we can help you get what you need out of your exercise program.

Our program is supervised by Kinesiology students who are specially trained to work with older adults. They are there to teach you how to use the equipment, perform exercises, ensure safety, modify any aspect of your program, and answer all your questions. And they are a lot of fun too.